#khthonic

I am a godkin/deitykin. Spiritually, I identify as the Son of Thanatos and Hekate. I’m a new god going through life as a human to prepare me for the godhood that awaits me beyond this world. I do not expect worship, just simply companionship.

I am a Hellenic polytheist if that doesn’t make itself obvious.

My physical self is 20 years old. I identify as transgender (heyooo fam), and I promise I’m really just a silly guy.

I would describe myself as a god of Necromancy, inner-change, grief, sorrow, and human-interconnectedness. I also delve into Witchcraft and various non-closed spiritual practices that help me define and navigate what it means for me to be a deitykin.

This blog is so I can try to reach out and become part of the alterhuman community and maybe make some friends.

My one rule, don’t be a dick.

Pfp:

Libations, the outpouring of liquid in sacrifice to the gods, is one of the most common sacred acts in hellenic polytheism. Libations were so common in every day life that they were often offered whenever wine was drunk, at every meal, and at symposia and dinner-parties. At symposia specifically there was an established order for libations - to Zeus Olympia and the Olympian gods, to the heroes, and to Zeus again (commonly Soter or Teleios, or Agathos Daimon). [1]

[...] Heralds at once poured water over their hands, and the young men filled the mixing-bowls to the brim with wine and went round the whole company, pouring some into each cup for a libation to [Zeus]. When they had poured their libations and drunk as much as they wished, the envoys set out [...] Iliad 9.170-80

A libation is an offering and a sacrifice of wastefulness - what is spilled onto the earth cannot be brought back. The most common libations are:

wine

water

oil

honey

In the Odyssey 10.518-26, Odysseus pours three libations when beseeching the dead - one of honey and milk, then wine, then water.

There were two ways to make libations, depending on who the offering is for:

sponde - ouranic, made from a hand-held jug or bowl and a controlled partial pour (often shared)

choe - khthonic, a larger vessel held or which stands on the ground, poured out in its entirety

While the choe is specifically khthonic, the sponde is common and easy to offer, and could be performed at any time - this is a distinction which can be up to the individual worshipper.

To simulate the outpouring of a libation onto the earth during an indoor ritual, pouring the libation from a cup into a dish or bowl would easily suffice. The offering could then later be poured outside or disposed of in another fitting matter. (Please be considerate when pouring libations outside.)

Interestingly, the word spondai also means armistice or peace treaty. Interesting, because war is blood spilled - a libation of sorts, too.

@khthonic​​  asked  :  “ ever stubborn, aren’t you. “ - from nyx!  //  accepting  .

𝐄𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐓  𝐎𝐅  𝐓𝐇𝐄  𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊  𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐒  𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐒  with  essence  instead  of  curled  lip  .  There  is  a  pride  there   --  a  subtle  borderline  indecipherable  fragmentation  of  it  .  Glistening  like  starlight  ----  -  a  quiet  echo  of  emotion  he  only  felt  in  minuscule  threads  .  BLESSED  MOTHER  NIGHT  and  her  commentary   -  it  never  fails  to  amuse  .  Lipless  maw  opens  ,  spilling  darkened  plume  with  the  otherworldly  rasp  he  lets  loose  that  breaks  apart  brilliantly  into  secret  word  .

HRR ...   .

The River Lethe has a couple connotations, especially in my own practice based on multiple Greek and literary sources. It is primarily the river of forgetfulness. Anyone who touches its waters will start to lose sense of themselves, their history, their life. However, there’s an element that is also peace and sleep as the water of Lethe is associated with Hypnos and his branch of poplar that drips constantly. Hypnos’ cave is also supposed to residue on the banks of Lethe.  Because of this association, I focus my Lethe powder more on peace and sleep than “forgetting everything”. I have used it in spells that are meant to help me get over a rough situation or person though- for sure! I use it in my version of sleep sachet’s and anti-nightmare poppets as well.

Lethe Powder:

graveyard dirt (all my powders have a base of graveyard dirt because of my personal craft/style and to tie it to the Underworld where the Rivers resides)

dried chamomile

dried rosemary

dried thyme

pomegranate liquor (another element I add to all my powders as tribute to Hades and Persephone- you can use juice or seeds instead if liquor is not possible)

Also feel free to add other dried flowers that have a pleasant scent to you. I am not a fan of the smell of lavender, though I know many witches like to use it in sleep work. Feel free! The idea with this powder is to create a sense of peace and ease. I also like to use it for anxiety based mental health work, in addition to proper medical care and therapy of course.

I’d love to add elements of a white poplar in tribute to Hypnos and the branch Lethe drips from, but they are unfortunately not easily available in my area (it is not native to the US and is considered an invasive species). There are other populars I could look at, but I feel conflicted on that. So far I’m happy with the powder’s recipe.

Enjoy! This series will be ongoing- keep an eye out for the other four!

My Underworld Powders recipes:

Lethe

Cocytus

Phlegethon

Acheron

There were three ways to pray to different gods:

Ouranic (Olympian) Gods: standing with arms outstretched and palms upward

Oceanic Gods: standing with arms outstretched toward the sea, palms turned toward a cult image (statue, item, figure etc)

Khthonic (Earthly/Underworld) Gods: on the ground, pounding the earth with fists

Kneeling down to pray is unusual. The gesture of entreaty is outstretched arms. To invoke the heavenly gods, both hands are raised to the sky with upturned palms; to call on the gods of the sea, the arms are extended out to the sea; the hands are also stretched toward the cult image. [...] Special measures are required, however, if the dead or the gods of the underworld are to be reached. Poets describe how the suppliant hurls himself on the ground and hammers the earth with fists.

The Queen of the Underworld has heard all the tales of hell.

The fiery halls and eternal damnation. The danger, the deadly, the desolation.

And when she goes down under for winter, she knows what they mean.

The red-russet desert stretches for miles and miles, not a human soul in sight.

The oppressive heat bearing down, drying the air in your lungs,

And venomous fangs looking to paralyse the mightiest foe.

But when she departs the north in winter, she never abandons her duty.

A blanket of icy snow gives way to the palest death lilies of the south,

The swooping birds of prey protecting their young,

And the last heavy rains before the arrival of the scorching summer sun.

Persephone goes down under in winter

And the Southern Cross guides her way there.

.